DAILY LOBO new mexico
Fool me twice see page 7
monday
September 13, 2010
The Independent Voice of UNM since 1895
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NM GOP spouts about spending ELECTION 2010 by Ruben Hamming-Green rhamminggreen@gmail.com
During the Republican candidate forum last week, the message was clear: Our systems are in debt, and uncontrolled government spending is the culprit. “Almost 25 percent of all people that work (in New Mexico) ... are public employees. If you look at the national average, it’s more like 15 percent,” lieutenant governor candidate John Sanchez said. “I hope that one of the first things Susana Martinez does as the next governor is to fire every single appointee by Bill Richardson.” Sanchez was one of three republican candidates who spoke at Thursday’s forum hosted by the UNM Conservative Republicans. Tom Mullins, district three congressional candidate, and Antoinette Baca, candidate for state house district 21 seat, also participated. Each candidate suggested that tax cuts for businesses and smaller government were solutions to solving the state’s economic woes. “The Democrats’ answer to these problems is to continue to raise taxes, to penalize businesses and to continue to spend wildly,” Sanchez said. “We can’t continue to tax New Mexico into success. We must create private sector jobs.” The candidates also discussed government funding for education. Mullins said the government should play less of a role in education, and families should play more of a role. “The Constitution of the United States is not involved in the higher education aspect, or the high school and elementary school level of education in this
country,” Mullins said. “When we have a problem in education, I don’t think it relates to dollars; it relates to parenting.” Mullins said students need to achieve certain goals before advancing to higher grades. “I think we need to ensure that our children read by the thirdgrade level, and if they don’t read by the third grade, they shouldn’t be pushed beyond that point,” Mullins said. Sanchez said state education expectations should be raised. “From the state’s perspective, we need to end this culture of low expectations,” Sanchez said. “Let’s be real. There are some people who are not going to go to college, and we need to identify who those children are and find out what traits and talents they may possess so that we can prepare those kids for jobs.” The candidates also slammed government services like the Environmental Protection Agency for bloating the deficit. Mullins said the agency should have less power. “I’d like to see the EPA reined in. I think they’ve gone too far and I think the National Environmental Policy Act is being interpreted as the ‘national environmental protection act,’” Mullins said. “We need to get back to allowing our businesses to function, specifically in oil and gas.” Mullins, a petroleum engineer, said global warming was being overplayed and the Cap and Trade bill would also increase the nation’s deficit. “The carbon dioxide that comes out of your mouth is not a pollutant. In my opinion, it’s plant food,” Mullins said. “The Cap and Trade bill, if it goes through, is equivalent on a cost basis to all existing environmental legislation.” Sanchez said the energy industry, particularly oil and gas, would see GOP Forum page 5
SHOUTING MATCH
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Emma Difani / Daily Lobo UNM head football coach Mike Locksley shouts from the sidelines at University Stadium during the Lobos 52-17 loss to Texas Tech on Saturday. See back page for game coverage, and check out a football photo gallery at DailyLobo.com.
RAIL RUNNING INTO CARS
Views collide over driver law by Laurel Prichard lbrishel@unm.edu
Gabbi Campos/ Daily Lobo Police arrive on the scene after the Rail Runner ran into an abandoned car on the train tracks near Paseo and 2nd street. The train was returning from the burning of Zozobra early Friday morning. See page 2.
Inside the
Daily Lobo volume 115
issue 16
A New Mexico law that allows for undocumented immigrants to receive state-issued driver’s licenses has come under fire with bipartisan support to reverse the law. The state legislature will make a decision about the policy at its upcoming session. Donald Gluck, president of UNM College Republicans, said allowing illegal immigrants to have a state-issued identification card is a national security issue. He said the policy also puts elections at risk
Victorious losers
Long lines, bad signs
See page 7
See page 5
because voter registration is often completed when someone receives a driver’s license. “The prime means of identification during airport screening is the driver’s license,” Gluck said. “Airport security personnel cannot tell if a person with a New Mexico license is a U.S. citizen or a foreign national. This is important information needed to make security assessments.” Brent A. Wilkes, national executive director of the League of United Latin American Citizens, said policymakers should be focused instead on how the law protects citizens.
“If (immigrants) are not allowed to get a license, they may still have to drive to get to work, especially in a state like New Mexico that doesn’t have a lot of public transportation,” Wilkes said. “So what do they do? They drive without a license. That’s not good for anybody.” Wilkes continued: “The real victims here are the ones who are pushing the laws: the people who get into an accident with someone without insurance or someone who leaves the scene of an accident. And a direct consequence of whether (immigrants) are see Immigration page 5
TODAY
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